Deceased Hiker On Mt. St. Helens

Friday, 19 October 2018

10:00 AM

On Thursday, October 18, 2018, at approximately 2:04 pm The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an injured hiker on Mt. St. Helens. The initial information received was the hiker had slipped, fell, and injured his head while hiking near the boulder fields on the mountain. It was reported he was unconscious at the time of the call.

North County EMS, Skamania County Sheriff’s Deputies, and the Volcano Rescue Team (VRT) responded to the Climber’s Bivouac to coordinate the rescue. While first responders were enroute, the caller advised CPR was now in progress.

VRT responded from the trailhead and a Life Flight Helicopter was dispatched but could not land near the patient. The medic from Life Flight was able to access the hiker and assisted in life saving measures. The medic teams were unable to resuscitate the hiker and he was pronounced deceased.

JL Aviation and pilot Jeff Linscott had been assisting our office on a separate mission near Mt. St. Helens and immediately diverted to the area. He was able to shuttle resources to the scene and assist with recovering the hiker.

The Hiker, Jason L. Douthit, 44, of Portland, Oregon had been hiking in a group of three. According to witnesses it appeared Mr. Douthit suffered a sudden medical event which caused him to collapse. It does not appear the fall caused his death; however, he was taken to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy.